TheList 5758

The List 5758     TGB

 

Good Saturday Morning 26 June

The flight home was delayed a bit so we did not get home until just before midnight.

Nothing like being locked up in a crowded airplane with no engines running and no air hooked up and the stewardess telling you the best placard in your seat back to use for a hand fan. But it was great to be with daughter and her family. Beautiful country up there and we got into Glacier National Park but could not get all the way to the top pass as it was closed for snow.

 

Regards

skip

 

Today in Naval History

June 26

1945 USS Bears (DD 654), USS John Hood (DD 655), USS Jarvis (DD 799), and USS Porter (DD 800) sink three Japanese auxiliary submarine chasers and a guardboat and damage a fourth auxiliary submarine chaser south of Okekotan, Kurils.

1945 USS Parche (SS 384) attacks a Japanese convoy and sinks gunboat Kamitsu Maru and freighter Eikan Maru seven miles of Todo Saki, southern Honshu.

1950 After North Korean invaded South Korea, USS Mansfield (DD 728) and USS De Haven (DD 727) evacuates 700 Americans and friendly foreign nationals from Inchon, Korea.

1962 U.S. Naval Facility, Cape Hatteras, N.C., makes the first Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS) detection of a Soviet diesel submarine.

 

 

 

Today in History June 26

363		Roman Emperor Julian dies, ending the Pagan Revival.
1096		Peter the Hermit's crusaders force their way across Sava, Hungary.
1243		The Seljuk Turkish army in Asia Minor is wiped out by the Mongols.
1541		Former followers murder Francisco Pizarro, the Spanish Conqueror of Peru.
1794		The French defeat an Austrian army at the Battle of Fleurus.
1804		The Lewis and Clark Expedition reaches the mouth of the Kansas River after completing a westward trek of nearly 400 river miles.
1844		Julia Gardiner and President John Tyler are married in New York City.
1862		General Robert E. Lee attacks George McClellan's line at Mechanicsville during the Seven Days' campaign.
1863		Jubal Early and his Confederate forces move into Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
1900		The United States announces it will send troops to fight against the Boxer Rebellion in China.
1907		Russia's nobility demands drastic measures be taken against revolutionaries.
1908		Shah Muhammad Ali's forces squelch the reform elements of Parliament in Persia.
1916		Russian General Aleksei Brusilov renews his offensive against the Germans.
1917		General Pershing arrives in France with the American Expeditionary Force.
1918		The Germans begin firing their huge 420 mm howitzer, "Big Bertha," at Paris.
1926		A memorial to the first U.S. troops in France is unveiled at St. Nazaire.
1924		After eight years of occupation, American troops leave the Dominican Republic.
1942		The Grumman F6F Hellcat fighter flies for the first time.
1945		The U.N. Charter is signed by 50 nations in San Francisco, California.
1951		The Soviet Union proposes a cease-fire in the Korean War.
1961		A Kuwaiti vote opposes Iraq's annexation plans.
1963		President John Kennedy announces "Ich bin ein Berliner" at the Berlin Wall.
1971		The U.S. Justice Department issues a warrant for Daniel Ellsberg, accusing him of giving away the Pentagon Papers.
1975		Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is convicted of election fraud.
1993		Roy Campanella, legendary catcher for the Negro Leagues and the Los Angeles Dodgers, dies.

 

 

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By the way

This happened last year and it still is not fixed in the source even after I sent them a note and I never received a reply.

Last year I received this from Mike "Detch"

Small detail - I think U.S. Grant died on July 23 rather than June 23. In any case he died younger than I thought (age 63).

This is the only the second time in all the years of the List's history items that anyone brought something like this up. So I checked and what I put in was what the site had so I went to two other sources and found that Mike was right

Ulysses S. Grant - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Ulysses_S._Grant

 Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant; April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885) was an American soldier and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. Before his presidency, Grant led the Union Army as Commanding General of the United States Army in winning the American Civil War.

I have sent them  a note but do not expect a reply. good catch

skip

So happy that some do read the history parts of the List

 

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Thanks to Micro on the Andy Rooney piece in yesterday's LIst

 

Skip:

 

This is what Andy Rooney said in 2003 about those comments that you forwarded (yes, they're that old) that had been attributed to him:

 

About a year ago, I became aware of a more serious theft of my name and it is so hurtful to my reputation that it calls for legal action against the thief. Hundreds of people have written asking if I really wrote the 20 detestable remarks made under my name that have had such wide circulation on the Internet.

Some of the remarks, which I will not repeat here, are viciously racist and the spirit of the whole thing is nasty, mean and totally inconsistent with my philosophy of life. It is apparent that the list of comments has been read by hundreds of thousands of Americans, many of whom must believe that it accurately represents opinions of mine that I don't dare express in my column or on television. It is seriously damaging to my reputation.

One should also remember that, as much as we liked his wry humor and insight, he was an atheist, saying, "I just wish this social institution (religion) wasn't based on what appears to me to be a monumental hoax built on an accumulation of customs and myths directed toward proving something that isn't true." On another occasion, he said, "Christians talk as though goodness was their idea but good behavior doesn't have any religious origin. Our prisons are filled with the devout."

 

I take issue with both of his statements on the basis of facts alone.

 

In other words, perhaps we shouldn't be pretending that Andy Rooney was worthy of adulation.

 

Micro

 

And another from Kent

even ole Andy was pissed because someone attributed this to him.

 

kent

 

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/andy-rooney-politics/

 

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Thanks  to Mud

              Happy Birthday Chesty wherever you are. 

 

S/F,

 

- Mud

 

 

 

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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear

LOOKING BACK 55-YEARS to the Vietnam Air War— … For The List for Saturday, 26 June 2021… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻

 

OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)

From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 26 June 1966… "How do we avoid another Vietnam war? Part II"….

 

https://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/rolling-thunder-remembered-26-june-1966-lessons-from-a-war/

 

 

 

This following work accounts for every fixed wing loss of the Vietnam War and you can use it to read more about the losses in The Bear's Daily account. Even better it allows you to add your updated information to the work to update for history…skip

 

Vietnam Air Losses

Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at:  https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.

 

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Thanks to Chuck and Rich

From: Heyyyy fonzie
Sent: Saturday, June 26, 2021 6:39 AM
To: Heyyyy fonzie
Subject: MORE: The Aliens have landed\RICH

 

Hi to all - 

 

UFO Report

 

The military has released its long anticipated UFO report as demanded by congress.  So, what did we learn?  Not much.

 

They had a few incidents that could be explained, but 143 that they could not explain.  Most of those were in the last two-three years, and there are reports going back many years.  Similar reports are coming from Russia, China, and other nations of unknown objects flying over their nuclear plants, military bases, and other places.  The problem for our folks is that these objects move in ways that are radically different from any craft we know.  Speeds far beyond any craft we know of, G- forces turns a hundred times what humans can stand, and even flying from altitude to underwater and back.  The only thing the report says that we can be sure of is that we do not know much at all, and need a lot more information.  'Take me to your leader.'

 

Georgia

 

The DOJ, in yet another attempt to put an end to fair and honest voting in Georgia, has filed another suit against the new voter laws.  Basically, it claims, with no evidence, that voter ID is racist, and prevents minorities from voting.

 

This is not the first such effort.  Stacy has done this several times, as have others.  It has no merit, and has little chance of doing more than wasting time and money.  It's no wonder democrats need so much money.  With stuff like this eating up cash, along with those armies of lawyers, and all the payoffs and bribes, it gets expensive to seek for power.

 

A judge has ruled against those seeking to audit the elections results in Fulton County.  Those seeking an audit wanted a number of things, mostly to examine the original ballots for signs of fraud.  It takes more than a philosopher with a lamp to find an honest judge in Fulton County.  And, this one allowed the audit team only to examine digital pictures of the ballots, not the ballots.  Well, those pictures have already had the votes changed on them.  And, that prevents anyone from seeking if actual ballot paper was used (a thicker paper, like photo stock, not copy paper), or examining those ballots for crease marks, to show that they were mailed, or even to see if they were marked by hand, or machine.  So, in effect, the audit here is closed.  Thank goodness this was 'the most secure and safe election in all recorded history', so we can be sure there was no fraud - except for the fact that the total number of votes far exceeded the number of voters.

 

For, for this round, Lions - 1, Christians - 0.  Much like Michigan.  Four more key states to go.....

 

POW Camp

 

During WWII, some Japanese prisoners were sent to a place called Camp Tracy.  As soldiers, those prisoners had been taught that surrender was dishonorable, and they would not be welcome back home if they surrendered.  They were also told of the terrible treatment they would receive in America, much like the way they treated their own prisoners.  But, in Camp Tracy, prisoners were treated with respect.  They were well fed, well cared for, and handled more like guests than enemies.  This came as a shock to the Japanese.  And, as it settled in to them that this was their lot, they began to cooperate with the Americans, without torture or other mistreatment.

 

It seems that kindness is more effective in getting information and help from the enemy prisoners than rough treatment.  Results coming via torture are always suspect, since a prisoner can say anything to make the pain stop.  Sometimes, you do not have time to nurture these prisoners, and you need information right now, to protect your own force.  That is when 'enhanced interrogation' was used by our forces.  It did work in many cases.  Personally, I think we might get better results, just as fast, using sensory deprivation.  When people have been put in places where they cannot use their five senses (dark rooms, soundproof, or kept in a tank of water at body temperature, or padded sleeves on legs and arms, preventing movement or feeling), they do not last long.  The average person has had enough after 20 minutes.  Few last more than 24 hours.  Being alone with nothing but your own thoughts and imagination is torture enough, for most people.

 

Megan Geha

 

She is a teacher of Special Education at Des Moines East HS in Iowa.  Governor Kim Reynolds has banned the teaching of CRT in schools, and she is really angry.  She is seen with a bug-eyed expression and angry face, complaining that she cannot teach the children racism, and, worse, she must recite the Pledge of Allegiance, every morning!  Oh, the horror, the horror.  Why does this woman still have a job?

 

Portland, Oregon

 

Another night of rioting and destruction.  Police shot someone, so we must burn the city once again.  That was once a beautiful city, now it is Berlin, in 1945.  Seven counties on the other side of the mountain (the state has a mountain range right down the middle) have asked for a 'divorce', and want to move their 800,000 residents to become part of Idaho.  If they can get this on the ballot, and win, Oregon will shrink a lot, and Idaho will add a large group of people to its population.  That also means major shifts in congressional representation.  Oregon is not going to go down quietly.

 

Displaced People

 

Across the world, nearly 90 million people have been displaced, run out of their homes, by political and social violence.  The Middle East and Africa are having the worst of all this.  Many have moved into refugee camps, where they remain an average of 11 years.  They continue to experience terrible things - seeing their families murdered right in front of them, sex trafficing and slavery, and being robbed again and again of all they have.  Evil people also try to crush their identity and spirit.  In Northern Iraq, the Yazidi Christians are routinely crushed by ISIS.  Even their music and faith is being attacked.  Several NGO's are working to record and save their traditions, before they all disappear.  This is similar to what was done to native Americans, as America moved west.  These people were herded into reservations, robbed, killed along with the buffalo (their food source) and they were forbidden to speak their language or perform their religious rituals.  Let us hope that the NGO's are successful, and that these rich heritages can be saved.

 

Texas

 

A while back they had a big push to install 'smart thermostats' in homes.  But, now people are learning the downside.  Since wind and solar are heavily subsidized, the construction of fossil fuel plants has given way to building solar and wind farms - with the results we saw recently.  So, now, outsiders have remotely reset all the home thermostats, since the state cannot supply power.  This could be a small inconvenience, or a life threatening disaster, depending on your needs.  The citizens of Texas are not happy.

 

Rich

 

 

 

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This still works great

Thanks to Carl….A combat nap is a great way to get a burst of energy

(OOPS, my secret routine is revealed!)

 

https://hotair.com/archives/2019/06/27/naps-are-good-for-you-helathy-habit/

 

FANtastic News: Naps Make You Smarter, Nicer

ANDREW MALCOLMPosted at 2:41 pm on June 27, 2019

Finally, a scientific explanation for how some of us of a certain age have gotten so much smarter than others over the years.

 

Naps.

 

Some wise cultures around the world with high noontime temperatures have midday breaks for a whole hour or two called siestas, which is Spanish for "four commutes a day."

When many Americans were younger, naps were punishment or an enforced rest to allow a presiding adult to grab some ZZZ's too. Decades later, naps have become like delightful little vacations.

Now, it turns out, naps are not only restorative, especially if you haven't slept well at night. But they also improve mood (check), physical performance (meh),  even the ability to learn (check) and enhanced memory (can't remember).

This all sounds so good that it might not be totally true. But we're going with select health literature that says it is.

Most Americans employers have this crazy notion that they're paying to work, not sleep. So, you're supposed to power through those dozey times after lunch when the eyelids have a lazy mind of their own.

Unfortunately, studies have shown that short naps like 10 minutes are the best for maximum benefit and least wake-up fog. Some of us do not mind such half-awake moments. They remind of a Saturday morning which by the way is now only two days away.

One study a few years ago found:

The benefits of brief (5-15 min) naps are almost immediate after the nap and last a limited period (1-3h).

Longer naps (> 30 min) can produce impairment from sleep inertia for a short period after waking but then produce improved cognitive performance for a longer period (up to many hours).

The time of day that seems to produce the most benefits is early afternoons.

And another key factor is that nap benefits increase most when they become regular events, as in a habit at roughly the same time of day. The body gets into its own rest rhythm.

 

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This day in US Military History

June 26

1917 – During World War I, the first 14,000 U.S. infantry troops land in France at the port of Saint Nazaire. The landing site had been kept secret because of the menace of German submarines, but by the time the Americans had lined up to take their first salute on French soil, an enthusiastic crowd had gathered to welcome them. However, the "Doughboys," as the British referred to the green American troops, were untrained, ill-equipped, and far from ready for the difficulties of fighting along the Western Front. One of U.S. General John J. Pershing's first duties as commander of the American Expeditionary Force was to set up training camps in France and establish communication and supply networks. Four months later, on October 21, the first Americans entered combat when units from the U.S. Army's First Division were assigned to Allied trenches in the Luneville sector near Nancy, France. Each American unit was attached to a corresponding French unit. Two days later, Corporal Robert Bralet of the Sixth Artillery became the first U.S. soldier to fire a shot in the war when he discharged a French 75mm gun into a German trench a half mile away. On November 2, Corporal James Gresham and privates Thomas Enright and Merle Hay of the 16th Infantry became the first American soldiers to die when Germans raided their trenches near Bathelemont, France. After four years of bloody stalemate along the Western Front, the entrance of America's well-supplied forces into the conflict was a major turning point in the war. When the war finally ended on November 11, 1918, more than two million American soldiers had served on the battlefields of Western Europe, and more than 50,000 of these men had lost their lives.

 

1944 – Coast Guard LCDR Quentin R. Walsh and his small commando/reconnaissance unit forced the surrender of Fort du Homet, a Nazi stronghold at Cherbourg, France, and captured 300 German soldiers and liberated 50 U.S. paratroopers who had been captured on D-Day. For his heroic actions Walsh was awarded the Navy Cross.

 

Thanks to Dan and the one below appears to be yet another.

Skip,

     I don't know where you get the list of people who earned the Medal of Honor, each day, but here is a question.  The summary format on "The List" for each person who earned the Medal of Honor is the same, except for those who are Japanese-American.  For everyone else, the unit of assignment is given, such as "Company, Battalion, Division, etc.  However, the unit of assignment, for those with Japanese-American names, is never given.  I have noticed this in dozens of "The List", including todays "List".

     Almost all of the Japanese-Americans who served in WWII, were assigned to the 442nd Infantry, a Hawaiian military unit which is now part of the Hawaiian National Guard, and which served in Italy and Southeastern Europe during WWII.  They became the most decorated military unit in the U.S. Army during WWII, and served while many had members of their families who were held at Internment Facilities (such as Manzanar, in California).  Almost all were "Nisei", or second generation, Hawaiian residents (decades before Hawaii became a state). 

     I know their history, because I served with many "Nisei" and "Sansei" (3rd generation) in Hawaii, in 1968, and then with a "Sansei", in 1972-73.  In 1968, at the peak of our involvement in Vietnam, and because of civilian antipathy towards everything military, the U.S. government elected to mobilize the Hawaiian National Guard, as a test case to deploy the reserve forces in Vietnam.  They chose the Hawaiian National Guard because there was nowhere else in the country where the military had greater support by the general civilian population, than in Hawaii.

     If anyone doubts their valor, let them visit the military museum at Ft. DeRussey, HI, in the heart of Wakiki Beach.

     Excuse my diatribe, but they deserve to have their unit of assignment identified in "The List", so that everyone recognizes their unit of assignment, and the role that unit played in WWII.

 

Dan

 

 

Congressional Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day

*MURANAGA, KIYOSHI K.
Private First Class Kiyoshi K. Muranaga distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 26 June 1944, near Suvereto, Italy. Private First Class Muranaga's company encountered a strong enemy force in commanding positions and with superior firepower. An enemy 88mm self-propelled gun opened direct fire on the company, causing the men to disperse and seek cover. Private First Class Muranaga's mortar squad was ordered to action, but the terrain made it impossible to set up their weapons. The squad leader, realizing the vulnerability of the mortar position, moved his men away from the gun to positions of relative safety. Because of the heavy casualties being inflicted on his company, Private First Class Muranaga, who served as a gunner, attempted to neutralize the 88mm weapon alone. Voluntarily remaining at his gun position, Private First Class Muranaga manned the mortar himself and opened fire on the enemy gun at a range of approximately 400 yards. With his third round, he was able to correct his fire so that the shell landed directly in front of the enemy gun. Meanwhile, the enemy crew, immediately aware of the source of mortar fire, turned their 88mm weapon directly on Private First Class Muranaga's position. Before Private First Class Muranaga could fire a fourth round, an 88mm shell scored a direct hit on his position, killing him instantly. Because of the accuracy of Private First Class Muranaga's previous fire, the enemy soldiers decided not to risk further exposure and immediately abandoned their position. Private First Class Muranaga's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army.

 

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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for June 26

FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR June 26

THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY

 

26 June

 

1909: Glenn H. Curtiss flew his first Curtiss airplane in exhibitions at the Aeronautical Society's meet at Morris Park aerodrome. These were the first flights over New York City. (24)

1942: The F6F Hellcat first flew.

1944 – Coast Guard LCDR Quentin R. Walsh and his small commando/reconnaissance unit forced the surrender of Fort du Homet, a Nazi stronghold at Cherbourg, France, and captured 300 German soldiers and liberated 50 U.S. paratroopers who had been captured on D-Day. For his heroic actions Walsh was awarded the Navy Cross.

1945: B-29s started nighttime raids on Japanese oil refineries. (20)

1946: The Aeronautical Board agreed that the US AAF and US Navy would use the knot and nautical mile as standard aeronautical units of speed and distance. (20)

1948: KEY EVENT--Operation VITTLES. An airlift began with C-47s in response to the blockade of Berlin. At Furstenfeldbruck, Germany, SAC had a 30l BG squadron with B-29s in place for training. SAC also ordered two other 30lst squadrons to Furstenfeldbruck along with the 28 BG from Rapid City AFB and 307 BG from MacDill AFB to England for alert duty. (1) (2) The 7 BG at Carswell AFB received SAC's first B-36A Peacemaker (44-92004). With its 160- foot length and 230-foot wingspan, the six-engine Peacemaker was the world's largest warplane. The bomber had an intercontinental capability. (1) (12) (21)

1950: President Truman ordered the USAF and US Navy to aid South Korea, which had been invaded by the North Korean Communist forces. The 68th Fighter All-Weather Squadron flew F-82 Twin Mustangs to provide cover for a Norwegian ship evacuating US citizens from Seoul, Korea, by sea. SB-17 planes then covered the ship's movement from Inchon to Japan. In continued preparation for air evacuation of US citizens from Korea, FEAF traded C-54s for C-47s from all over the Far East to permit operations on smaller airfields. (21) (28)

1954: Operation WOUNDED WARRIOR. Through 17 July, airlift aircraft from FEAF and MATS carried 509 French Foreign Legion veterans from Saigon, Vietnam, to Paris, France, and Oran, Algeria, by way of Tokyo and Westover AFB, Mass. The 14,000-mile airlift had to follow an eastern route for political reasons. (18)

1956: An aircraft flew the first mission in the CARTRAC air traffic control tests conducted at Shaw AFB. This test continued through 15 December.

1957: TAC's first WB-66 weather reconnaissance aircraft arrived for duty with the 9th Reconnaissance Squadron, 363d TRW, at Shaw AFB.

1962: At Vandenberg AFB, a 389 SMS crew of Francis E. Warren AFB successfully launched an Atlas D in the first test of the Army's Nike-Zeus interceptor. The interception failed. (6)

1963: A Thor-Delta rocket launched NASA's SYNCOM II communications satellite into orbit from Cape Canaveral. Five hours later, an apogee kick motor fired to place the satellite into a synchronus orbit. (16)

1964: Through 24 July, C-130s delivered over 950 tons of food to remote areas in Pakistan in affected by flooding. (18)

1971: The last F-100 unit in Southeast Asia, the 35 TFW at Phan Rang AB in S. Vietnam, ceased operations. (17)

1972: The Air Force unveiled the F-15 superiority fighter in ceremonies at the McDonnell Douglas facility in St. Louis. (30)

1983: Through 1 July, three USAF C-130s moved 170 tons of food, medicine, and other relief supplies to help victims of a flood in northwestern Peru. (16)

1994: A 60 AW C-5 from Travis AFB flew a 34-ton Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine to Chernobyl, Ukraine. There, medical specialists used the machine to treat victims of the 1986 nuclear reactor meltdown. (16)

2001: Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld proposed a one-third cut in USAF's fleet of 93 B-1B bombers. Under that initiative, which surprised Congress and the National Guard Bureau, the ANG B-1B units in Georgia and Kansas would lose their B-1s and unit funding by 1 October 2001. (32)

 

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Thanks to Dennis. This story was in the list a couple of years ago but it is worth the repeat.

This is a great read

A REALLY SUSPENSEFUL read of about 20 minutes. Spare the time!  You'll be glad you did. the "California Clipper" was the first commercial aircraft to circumnavigate the globe. The risks they had to take were unprecedented to avoid destruction by the Japanese after war was declared on Dec 5th. What started as a routine shuttle between San Francisco and Auckland, New Zealand (and back across the Pacific to S.F.) turned out to be a trip around the world to New York by returning home from the OPPOSITE DIRECTION to avoid Pacific hostile Jap fighters.

Dennis

 

Written by John Bull, Writer and Historian - Aug 11, 2014

This Plane Accidentally Flew Around the World

After Pearl Harbor, the crew of Pan Am flight 18602 was forced to do the impossible

 

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Hand SALUTE!!! 

thanks to THE Bear for the pass - 

 

Gents… Passed for your info… Admiral Gormley was an admirable naval officer, fighter pilot, carrier skipper and human being… I fell under his wing while I was XO of VA46 on his carrier, JFK… He made me his permanent Senior Shore Patrol Officer and Aide for our ten month cruise to the Med (1972-73)… included 75 days and nights of liberty in Palma, Rhodes, Athens, Naples, Cannes, Barcelona, Malaga, and Thessaloniki… those were the days… Later, while in retirement he was a regular visitor in my OP-50 office… great times with a smooth operator… inspirational… Bear

http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/

 

Begin forwarded message:

 



Fellow Flag Officers,

 

      It is with deep regret I inform you of the passing of Rear Admiral Robert Hugh Gormley, U.S. Navy (Retired) on 8 June 2021 at age 95.  RADM Gormley enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1943, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1947, and served as a Naval Aviator until his retirement in 1976 as Chief of the Studies, Analysis and Gaming Agency of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  He served in the Korean War combat zone and in the Vietnam combat zone as Commanding Officer of Fighter Squadron VF-41 (over 100 combat missions,) Operations Officer for Carrier Group FIVE, and  Commanding Officer of USS WHITE PLAINS (AFS-4.)  Additional commands included Carrier Attack Wing SEVEN and USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CVA-67.)  For his Vietnam service he was awarded a Legion of Merit with Combat "V," two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Bronze Stars, and three Navy Commendation Medals with Combat "V."

 

      Robert Gormley enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve on 17 February 1943, during the height of World War II.   Initially in the inactive reserve, he was accepted into the V-12 (Reserve Officer) Program and commenced studies at the University of Texas.  In 1944, he was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in the wartime accelerated (three years) Class 1948A.  His classmates described him as a "gentle, lovable, sensitive soul."  Nevertheless, he graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Naval Science and was commissioned an ensign on 6 June 1947. 

 

      Ensign Gormley's first assignment was to the East Coast destroyer USS PUTNAM (DD-757,) deploying twice to the Mediterranean.  PUTNAM was the first U.S. Navy ship to fly the United Nations flag when she was the first of three destroyers assigned to assist UN mediator Count Folke Bernadotte in his attempt to bring about a cease-fire after Israel declared independence in May 1948 and surrounding Arab nations attacked in response. On 23 July 1948, PUTNAM went into Haifa, Israel to evacuate the UN team when a truce broke down.  (Bernadotte was assassinated in September 1948 by Zionist extremists.)

 

      Selected for Naval Aviation, Ensign Gormley reported to Naval Air Station Pensacola in January 1949 for flight training.  Lieutenant (junior grade) Gormley earned his wings of gold and was designated a Naval Aviator (HTA) on 28 June 1950.  This was followed by additional training at the Naval School for All-Weather Flight at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi.  In August 1950, LTJG Gormley was assigned to the newly-activated (in response to the outbreak of the Korean War) reserve Anti-Submarine Warfare Squadron VS-892 "Red Griffins," flying the TBM-3S/3W ASW variant of the Avenger torpedo bomber.  The squadron deployed to the Western Pacific aboard the escort carrier USS SICILY (CVE-114,) but was disembarked and replaced by a Marine F4U Corsair squadron for urgently needed close-air support to Marines holding the Pusan Perimeter in Korea.  VS-892 operated from shore until the later arrival of reactivated escort carrier USS RENDOVA (CVE-114.)  In January 1952, Lieutenant Gormley transferred to the staff of Commander, Carrier Division SEVENTEEN as Aide and Flag Lieutenant, embarked on escort carrier USS BADOENG STRAIT (CVE-116) for her second Korean War deployment.

 

      In March 1953, LT Gormley transferred to Fighter Squadron VF-143 as it was transitioning to the new swept-wing version of the F9F, the F9F-6 Cougar.  On 7 December 1953, LT Gormley was injured in an aircraft accident and spent several months in the hospital.  In May 1954, LT Gormley reported to Naval Auxiliary Air Station, Kingsville, Texas as a jet flight instructor.  In January 1955, he then reported to Naval Air Station Olathe, Kansas as Standardization Officer and Flight Instructor with the Jet Transitional Training Unit.

 

      In May 1957, Lieutenant Commander Gormley assumed duty as Operations Officer for Fighter Squadron VF-31, flying the all-weather jet fighter F3H-2N (one of the first squadrons to deploy with the new AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile.)  VF-31 embarked on the new attack carrier USS SARATOGA (CVA-60) for her second deployment, including providing air cover for the U.S. Marine amphibious landing in Lebanon in response to the 1958 crisis.  In December 1958, LCDR Gormley reported as Fighter Training Officer on the staff of Commander Carrier Group FOUR, which was responsible for the first two "super-carriers," USS FORRESTAL (CVA-59) and SARATOGA.  In June 1959, he attended the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, graduating in June 1960.  He then served as Assistant Fighter Weapons Officer on the staff of Commander, Operational Test and Evaluation Force (COMOPTEVFOR.)  In August 1962 he attended Harvard University in Cambridge Massachusetts, graduating in July 1963 with a Masters Degree in Public Administration.

 

      Following transition training in Fighter Squadron VF-101 to the F-4B Phantom II jet fighter-bomber, Commander Gormley reported to Fighter Squadron VF-41 as Executive Officer, deploying to the Mediterranean with Carrier Attack Wing SEVEN, embarked on USS INDEPENDENCE (CVA-62.)  He assumed command of VF-41 in February 1965 for INDEPENDENCE's Vietnam deployment from May to December 1965.  INDEPENDENCE was the fifth carrier to deploy to Vietnam, and arrived at a time when air combat operations over North Vietnam took a dramatic increase.  During 100 days on station in the Gulf of Tonkin between June and November 1965, CDR Gormley flew over 100 combat missions, including the first major series of coordinated strikes on vital North Vietnamese supply lines north of the Hanoi-Haiphong complex.  The strikes were met with the most massive surface-to-air missile barrage in history (to that point – it got a lot worse.)  For his leadership in combat missions, CDR Gormley was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Bronze Star, eight Air Medals, and three Navy Commendation Medals with Combat "V."  INDEPENDENCE (and VF-41) were awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for this deployment.

 

      In June 1966, CDR Gormley assumed command of Carrier Attack Wing SEVEN, embarked on INDEPENDENCE for another Mediterranean deployment.  Upon conclusion of the deployment, CDR Gormley was assigned duty in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Systems Analysis) in Washington DC.

 

      Promoted to captain in July 1968, CAPT Gormley reported as Operations Officer on the staff of Commander Carrier Division FIVE, then homported at Cubi Point, Subic Bay, Philippines, but constantly rotating amongst the carriers conducting strike operations into North Vietnam from Yankee Station in the Gulf of Tonkin (as many as four or five carriers at a time, including the ASW carrier, during this period.)  CAPT Gormley was awarded a Legion of Merit with Combat "V."  Following a training pipeline, CAPT Gormley assumed command of the new combat stores ship USS WHITE PLAINS (AFS-4;) he was the second commanding officer.  WHITE PLAINS deployed to the Gulf of Tonkin providing underway replenishment to the carriers on Yankee station and surface combatants on the gunline off Vietnam.  CAPT Gormley was awarded a Bronze Star for this command tour.  WHITE PLAINS was also the class trial ship for the Vulcan Phalanx Close-in-Weapon System (CIWS) but none were installed on other ships of the class due to funding.  In October 1971, CAPT Gormley assumed command of the attack carrier USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CVA-67,) at that time the newest carrier in the fleet.  CAPT Gormley took JOHN F. KENNEDY on an extended Mediterranean deployment including operations in the far northern Atlantic.

 

      In January 1973, CAPT Gormley assumed duty as Head, Command and Policy Branch in the Strategic Plans and Policy Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.  He was promoted to rear admiral on 28 March 1973.  In June 1973, RADM Gormley was assigned as the Inspector General for Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet in Norfolk.  His last assignment was as Chief of the Studies, Analysis and Gaming Agency of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon, Washington DC.  RADM Gormley retired in July 1976.

 

      RADM Gormley's awards include the Legion of Merit with Combat "V," two additional Legion of Merits, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Bronze Stars, eight Air Medals, three Navy Commendation Medals with Combat "V," the Navy Unit Commendation, two Meritorious Unit Commendations, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, China Service Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal (two awards,) Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Korean Presidential Unit Citation, and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

 

      Following retirement from active duty, RADM Gormley developed an aerospace and defense advisory business focused on unmanned aerial vehicle systems, new aircraft development, aircraft combat survivability, and military intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.  Clients included U.S. and foreign entities, including the Defense Advanced Research Programs Agency (DARPA,) Office of the Secretary of Defense (Intelligence,) and the Department of Defense Joint Aircraft Survivability Program. International projects included the sale of defense material to Greece, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and China. His pro bono work included participation on national security studies undertaken by the National Academy of Science and the Defense Science Board.  He also founded the Combat Survivability Division of the National Defense Industrial Association, and served as the Chairman for 16 years.  He also actively supported the Wounded Warrior Project.

 

       The "gentle, lovable, sensitive soul," described by his USNA classmates, was also a true warrior with a calm, commanding presence and a sharp mind and keen wit.  When the Vietnam War boiled over in 1965, he set the example of duty first, demonstrating combat leadership from the front, emulated by many squadron CO/XO's and airwing CO's to follow as the war became ever more dangerous and costly.  Robert Gormley volunteered for a dangerous business.  Flying big TBM torpedo-bombers off small escort carriers was always risky; doing it in all weather and at night in the Sea of Japan in the winter during the Korean War was especially challenging.  He transitioned to jet fighters at a particularly dangerous time; he didn't let injuries from aircraft accident deter him, as he subsequently flew the F3H Demon, the aircraft with the second highest operational loss rate of any Navy jet fighter.  Besides 100 combat missions in Vietnam, he continued to make valuable contributions to the war effort on the staff of CARDIV FIVE and as CO of a combat stores ship providing critical and timely support to ships engaged in combat operations.  His exceptional leadership abilities were recognized by being trusted with command of the Navy's newest aircraft carrier at the time, the USS JOHN F. KENNEDY, with the opportunity to set a standard of excellence for the life of the ship.  He was promoted to flag at an exceptionally challenging time in the U.S. Navy, dealing with post-Vietnam budget cuts and social upheaval. Much of his Navy career and post-Navy career focused on improving aircraft survivability, to which more than a few Naval Aviators probably owe their lives.  His example of duty and sacrifice in long years at sea serves as an inspiration to all who continue to serve in this most challenging profession.  His legacy lives on.

 

Very respectfully,

 

Sam

 

Samuel J. Cox (SES)

Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Retired)

Director of Naval History

Curator for the Navy

Director, Naval History and Heritage Command

202-433-2210 (office); 571-213-9392 (govt. cell)

E-mail: samuel.cox@navy.mil